The present invention pertains to a means for distributing digital entertainment and advertising programming across a communications network in which the entertainment programming is customized according to consumers"" stated preferences and the advertising is customized both according to consumer demographics and also according to consumers"" stated preferences.
As computers become more powerful, consumers have begun using them for entertainment, listening to music and watching multimedia presentations and videos. The Internet has become the world""s largest communications network and has become the most powerful information distribution method known to man. Because audio and video can be digitized, they can be stored in electronic form and distributed over the Internet.
Computing power and storage has dramatically increased the number of people who are taking advantage of the personal computer and the Internet as sources of information generally and entertainment in particular. Dramatic expansions of available bandwidth have made it faster and therefore more convenient for consumers to use the Internet and personal computer as entertainment media. Most of the music available on the Internet is in a format know as xe2x80x9cMPEG One Layer 3xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cMPEG 2 Layer 3.xe2x80x9d These formats compress the size of the audio file so that it is possible to distribute them quickly over the Internet and store large volumes of music on a personal computer or a portable play-out device.
The increased popularity of the Internet as a medium of entertainment creates challenges for the entire entertainment industry. The industry is challenged to insure that entertainment content distributed through the Internet is legally authorized for duplication and distribution. It is a challenge to account for the exact frequency and quantity of authorized distribution and performance of entertainment content. There is a strong need within the industry to establish a sound and reliable economic model or framework to support the coming inevitable and massive distribution of entertainment through the Internet. There is a strong challenge to structure advertising content for meaningful groups of consumers when the principal distribution medium, the Internet, is inherently global in operation. Advertisers are severely in need of means to advertise products in ways that are meaningful but different, that is, specifically tailored, for residents of Houston as well as residents of London or Hong Kong.
Related art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,964 (Rogers et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,789 (Suarez), U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,334 (Donahue et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,428 (Sidey), U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,081 (Bonnell et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,635 (Bauer et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,660 (Brendel et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,656 (Hattori et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,506 Randell), none of which teaches the present invention""s secure and accountable distribution of entertainment content with embedded advertising scheduled according to consumers"" demographics and stated preferences.
The present invention pertains to a means for distributing digital entertainment and advertising programming across a communications network in which the entertainment programming is customized according to consumers"" stated preferences and the advertising is customized both according to consumer demographics and also according to consumers"" stated preferences. The invention can encrypt digital entertainment content so that the content is assured to be copied, distributed, and performed only as authorized. The invention can account for the frequency and quantity of distribution and performance of entertainment content. The invention implements a sound economic model for distribution of entertainment through the Internet. The invention enables advertisers to direct advertising content with precision to meaningful groupings of consumers.
More specifically, the invention pertains to a computing system usable to create a personal digital content system. The computer system comprises a number of computer hosts with many computer hosts implementing end users"" digital libraries, at least one computer host acting to schedule and distribute digital content, and at least one computer host acting as a master digital library containing material to be used in the personal digital content system. The invention further pertains to a communications network for exchanging information among computer hosts. The invention includes many software agents executing on computer hosts. The agents are configured to receive and send electronic messages to and from other agents. In response to such messages and in response to other conditions and events, the agents act to establish advertising bookings, schedule digital content for distribution to consumers including scheduling advertising along with entertainment content, identify digital content listed on a schedule but missing from the consumer""s digital library, request schedules of digital content, distribute digital content across a communications network, decrypt and play or display the digital entertainment and advertising content, and maintain and manage digital libraries.
The improvements over prior art of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description. For a better understanding of the inventions with its advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings.